Runaway Pony - Hardcover

Ruepp, Krista

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0735819858 ISBN 13: 9780735819856

Publisher: North-South Books, 2005

Synopsis

Prince, a little Icelandic pony, is growing up. He is Anna's pony. She's raised him from a foal, and loves him dearly. Whenever Anna calls, Prince comes running right to her and nuzzles her neck. Prince is still too young to be ridden, but it's time to start training him to walk with a halter and lead line. On his very first lesson, Anna accidentally walks him past a noisy tractor. Terrified, Prince rears and runs away. With her wise grandmother's help, Anna manages to find her runaway pony and, with patience and love, win back his trust. Lush paintings of the beautiful Icelandic landscape illustrate this heartwarming story about the special bonds that can exist between horses and young riders. Fans fo the first book featuring Anna and Prince, Winter Pony, [which School Library Journal called, "a pleasant horse story with lovely illustrations that capture the rugged beauty of the Icelandic countryside,"] won t want to miss this affecting sequel.

About this title

About the Author

Krista Ruepp was born in Cologne, Germany, and now lives in Remschied, Germany. She has written three easy-to-read titles, Midnight Rider, Horses in the Fog, and The Sea Pony, as well as an earlier picture book featuring Anna and her Icelandic pony, Winter Pony.Ulrike Heyne lives in Possendorf, Germany, near Dresden, where she was born. She has illustrated Rescue at Sea! and Winter Pony, as well as the three easy-to-read titles by Krista Ruepp.

Reviews

Kindergarten-Grade 3-In this sequel to Winter Pony (North-South, 2002), Anna is once again challenged by her headstrong horse. Although Prince is too young to be ridden, the girl is teaching him to walk with a halter and lead rope. When a tractor suddenly appears, the noise terrifies the pony and he bolts. Anna and her grandmother set off to find him, riding through lava fields and past geysers. Grandmother has cleverly brought along apples and carrots and soon has the animal calmed down and ready to return home. Having learned that training a horse requires patience and care, Anna regains Prince's trust, and this time they pass by the tractor without a problem. The panoramic watercolor illustrations featuring muted golden tones against the gray mountains, soft blue skies, and green pastures bring the beauty of the Icelandic countryside to life. The characters' facial expressions are easy to interpret and reveal the warm relationship between Anna and her grandmother and the playful one between the girl and Prince. The ponies, with their unkempt manes, are wonderfully sturdy and totally lifelike. A good choice for horse enthusiasts.-Carol Schene, Taunton Public Schools, MA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PreS-Gr. 2. Set in Iceland, The Winter Pony (2002) told of Anna's pony, Prince, who left her care to join the herd for a time. In this sequel, he returns to the family farm. Anna is training Prince to walk with a halter when a loud tractor frightens him, and he bolts. Fearful for his safety, she asks Grandmother for help, and together they track the skittish pony past hot springs and across lava fields until they find him. Heeding her grandmother's advice, Anna learns to control her emotions and regains Prince's trust. Heyne makes full use of the large, double-page spreads to evoke the fresh, wild landscape of hills, rivers, geysers, and an enormous expanse of sky. Although translated from the German, this story's focus on Anna's emotions gives it universal appeal, while its setting offers a glimpse of a different part of the world. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: North-South Books
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0735819858
• ISBN 13: 9780735819856
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Heyne Ulrike
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32